Cable clamp



lFeb. 17, 931. A G. STEINMAYEP 1.39314() CABLE CLAMP Filed July 2OK 1929 3mm ufo@ Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALWIN G. STEINMAYEB, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO LINE MATERIAL COMPANY, OF SOUTH MILWAUKEE. WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CABLE Application led July 20,

This invention relates to clamps for cables, and is particularly directed to a clamp construction which may be used with a two, three, or other multiple conductor cable, such, for example, as are used for house drops an'd replace the single conductor cables heretofore used, although the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to use with a multiple conductor cable.

In using these cables it is desirable that the weather-proof wrappingr which encases all of the wires be left undisturbed or un damaged even when it is attached in place, and it is also desirableto leave the wrapping undisturbed until the splice is made at both the building end and the pole end of the cable.

Objects of this invention are to provide a clamp which is so constructed that' it will securely grip and permanently hold a cable,` whether a single or a multiple conductor cable, Without damage to the weather-proof wrapping. without any possible chance of sli pping of the cable, and without any chance of causing;r a short circuit or grounding of the wires in the cable.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a novel form of clamp which is so constructed that the cable is gripped between insulating jaws in a very secure manner so the pull upon the cable serves to tighten the gripping of the jaws thereon, and which is so made that there is no possible chance of relative slipping of the jaws one past the other, but which instead is so made that an accurate alignment ot the jaws takes place at all positions of adjustment, thus preventing one jaw from sliding' past the other and producingr undesirable cutting and damage to the cable and insecure gripping of the cable.

Further objects are to provide a clamp in which a simple and substantial means is provided Jfor readily attachingT it to the supportinf; structure in a manner to prevent a sharp kink in the cable and to permit the. cable to be readily looped down 'for any attachments or connections.

Further objects are to provide a clamp for a cable which is so made that it may be easily CLAMP attached either to a hook, a closed eyelet, or

any other device of this type, and which will freely adjust itself roughly in approximate alignment with the cable, so that the minimum strain is placed upon the several parts.

Further objects are to provide a clamp which is so constructed that the major portions of the clamp aside from the jaws may be made from stampings, in which the jaws may be made from any suitable insulating material, and in which both of the jaws are securely held in place against displacement, at least one of the jaws being freely guided to permit the ready adjustment of this jaw to secure clamping of the cable between the jaws.

Further objects are to provide a clamp construction which is so made that the entire body of each of the jaws bears the strain at all times. and in which the strain is not borne by any relatively delicate or fragile parts.

Further objects are to provide a clamp construction which is very cheap to make, which is rugged and reliable, and which is easy to manipulate.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings` in which z- Figrure 'l is a longitudinal sectional view through the clamp, such View corresponding to a section on line 1-1 ot Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan View of the bail portion of the device.

Referring' to the drawings, it will be seen that the clamp comprises a rectangular shell or casing l. which is formed from a stamping,r and has a flat bottom 2. side wallsy and a top 3. This top is preferably formed by inturningr the edges of the stamping, and the joint indicated at 4 in Figure 2 may be welded or brazed` or if desired it may be left open. although the preferred construction is to unite these edges. It is to be noted from Figure l that the top slants downwardly towards the rear, and that the i'ront edge of the bottom 2 is upturned to provide a small lip 4.-

rlhe side walls are provided with elongated slots 5 for a purpose hereinafter to appear,

be emi, cred.

with any suitable pin. tor example. the split pin "J, which projects through the slots and slideablv guides the upper jan' to permit such upper jaw to more towards or troni the lower jaw. but to 'preclude longitudinf-il inotion ot the upper jaw with respect to the lower jaw. lhns maintaining alignment of the jaws at all times. A

A wedge member l() is provided and is preferably formed troni a sheet metal stamping. This wedge member is channel shaped and is provided with tapered side walls '11, which bear aga inst. the underside of the slantinf;1 top as shown in Figures and The liat hott-ozu contacts with the tiat upper surface, ot the upper clampingr jaw or member. Preterablxy the, upper jaw has itsv upper suriiuaj-` slightly tapered. to thus malte the jaw souiewhat iiiodge-sliaped. as may be seen triton l "igurc '.llhe rear portion ot the side walls ot the wedge are provided with apertures 1Q, through which the inturned hooked ends lil ot an attaching' bail or anchoring member l l are passi-wl. This hail preferably has the opj'iosefl li.ool:sliaj'ied ends slightlj7 rearwardlv turned` as lshown in Figure, 3, to obtain a more secure attachment between the wedge s "l the hail. However. the bail mav be. slifflrtiy sprung; and one. ot the jaws may be slipped troni its opening l2 toallow the hook ing ot the bail through a closed eve, as indicated at l5, atte'r such eye has been screwed into the supjiorting` structure as indicated at iti in Figure l. such. tor example. as the side ot a house. Thereafter the prong or hooked end ot the hail may be reinserted through the opening l2.

Ahe metal lio-dy portion. wedge. and bail :otl the clamp are preferably toi-med Jfrom niurrustiug material. or are coated'with a noir-rusting coat. The clamping jaws 7 and 8 are. formed from bakelite, liber. or other suitable insulating material. so that there is no possible chance of' short circuiting' or grounding the wires of the cable.

'lhe cable i7 has been illustrated as a multiple conductor cable. This is clearly brought out in Figure 2, and it will be noted that the cable is roughly oral in. contour. (lbviouslj the cable may be a single wire cable if desired. although thc multiple. wire cable coming' 'into more extended usc due to its numerous advantages.- rl`he jaws are similari)i shaped to the cable, so that an affcurate lit is obtained throughout. the major portion oi' the peripherjv of the cable. lt is also preferable to form the jaws with a Corrugated or tinted surface to obtain a more secure grip upon the cable.

1n usingy the clamp, all that is necessary 1s to slip the end ot the cable between the jaws. as shown in Figure 1. and allow it to loop downwardly into position t'or attachment to the house wires i8. The pull of the cable tends to slide the clampingjaws and the body portion ot the device outwardly while. the wedge i0 is held due to its attachment to the supporting structure. rlhis causes the wedge to torce the jaws into clamping eu- ;ag'ement with the. cable and thus securely locks the cable in place. Obviously the cable may thereafter be asiljv joined to the other wires without in any way disturbing the clamp.

It clear from an inspection oftliigures l and Q that a very extensive bearing area is provided between the clamping jaws and the cable and. consequently, the'pressure per unit area is suiicientiy small so that no damage is done to the insulating,` covering or wrapping,r ot the cable. However, a very tirn'i grip is obtained, and the somewhat yieldingT covering or wrapping ol" the cable readily conforms or tits itselt to the corrugated faces of the claimiiug jaws. thus practicallj7 interlocking with these jaws.

lt will be. seen that. a very secure attachment of the wires to the supporting structure is obtained and one which may be readilyv manipulated with the utmost ease.

lt is to be noted also that the construction is such that the jaws'cannot even through improper handling become misplaced or positioned out ot alignment with each other. The construction is such that one jaw cannot slip forwardly of the other jaw with con sequent excessive pressure upon the gripped portion of the cable. Instead the jaws are always maintained in alignment and, consequently, the maximum bearing area is always presented between the jaws and the cable.

It will be seen further that. the device is very simple, is easy to construct, and is relatively cheap.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

l claim:

l. lli cable clamp comprising: a shell-like body portion, a pair of cable-clamping jaws located within said body portion with one ot the jaws movable toward the other jaw, and an attaching member having;- a wedge-like portion for forcing the movable jaw toward the. other jaw to cause the jaws to grip a cable, said wedge-like portion being;- movable independently ot either jaw.

2. ,A cable gripping clamp Comprising a metal, shell-like body portion, means for anchoring said body portion to a supporting structure, a pair of insulating jaws carrie( within said shell-like body portion, and means separate from said jaws for forcing said jaws into clamping engagement witi said cable when tension is placed upon said cable.

i 3. A cable clamp comprising a shell-like body portion formed of sheet metal, a pair of cable gripping jaws located within said body portion, a wedge-like member slidably mounted within said body portion for forcing said jaws into binding engagement with a cable, and an anchoring member attached to said wedge-like member, said wedge-like member being distinct and separate from said jaws.

4. A cable clamp comprising a shell-like body portion formed of sheet metal, a pair of cable-gripping aws located within said body portion, one of said jaws being attached to said body portion and the other jaw being slidably held by said body portion, a wedgelike member slidably mounted within said body portion for forcing said jaws into binding engagement with a cable, and an anchorn ing member attached to said wedge-like mem- 5. A cable clamp comprising a body portion, a pair of cable-gripping jaws carried by said body portion, means for maintaining alignment of said jaws and permitting relative/movement of said jaws, a wedge-like member for forcing said jaws into binding Aengagement with a cable, and means attached to said wedge-like member for attachment to a support.

6. A cable clam comprising a body portion, a pair of cable-grlpping jaws carried by said body portion, means for maintaining alignment of said jaws and permitting rela tive movement of said jaws, a wedge-like member for forcing said jaws into binding enga ement with a cable, and a bail pivotally attac ed to said wedge-like member for attachment to a support.

'7. A cable clamp comprising a shell-like, metal body portion ofapproximately rectangular cross section, having a bottom, a pair of side walls provided with slots, and a top; a pair of cable clamping jaws carried within said body portion, one of said jaws being rigidly attached to the body portion, and the other of s aid jaws being slidably carried by said body portion; a pin carried by said slidable jaw and guided within said slots to maintain alignment of said jaws; a wedgelike member longitudinally slidable within said body portion and bearing against said slidable jaw; and attaching means secured to said wedge-like member.

8. A cable clamp comprising a shell-like, metal body portion of approximately rectangular cross section, having a bottom, a

pair of side walls provided with slots, and a top; a pair of cab e clamping jaws carried within said body portion, one of sind jaws being rigidly attached to the body portion, and the other of said jaws being slidably carried by said body portion, said jaws being contoured to fit a cable and being serrated; a pin carried by said slidable jaw and guided within said slots to maintain alignment of said jaws; a wedge-like member longitudinally slidable within said body portion and bearing against said slidable jaw; said wedge-like member being formed of channel shape sheet metal; and attaching means secured to said wedge-like member.

9. A cable clamp comprising a shell-like body portion, cable gripping means located within said body portion, a wedge-like member slidably mounted within said body portion for forcing said gripping means into binding engagement with a cable, said wedgelike member being of channel shape and having tapered marginal edges engaging said body portion, and an anchoring member attached to said wedge-like member.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is atlixed hereto.

ALVIN G. STEINMAYER. 

